SYDNEY, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Replacing part of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer with small amounts of organic inputs can improve soil quality, crop yields and nutrient efficiency, a study has found, as Middle East tensions disrupt global supplies.
The study, led by the University of Western Australia (UWA), comes as around 60 percent of global urea-based nitrogen fertilizer supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, where geopolitical disruptions have tightened supply and raised costs for Australian growers, said a UWA statement released Thursday.
"Australian growers are seeking efficient use fertilizer to ensure economic growth and food security," said Professor Kadambot Siddique from the UWA Institute of Agriculture.
The study, co-authored by Siddique and international research partners from China, shows how adjusting fertilizer strategies with organic and inorganic inputs can maximize agronomic, ecological and economic outcomes.
The research examined a winter wheat-summer maize rotation under different fertilizer strategies.
"Reducing synthetic nitrogen by less than 45 percent while applying organic fertilizer can maintain productivity without increasing emissions," Siddique said.
Researchers said optimizing organic-synthetic nitrogen balance improves fertilizer efficiency, soil quality and cuts agricultural emissions, offering a potential pathway to more resilient agricultural systems under volatile global supply conditions. ■